The Flashpot Moments is a band we’ve featured a few times – last year, I reviewed their album, Very Far. The band have been very productive of late, as they actually released two EPs back to back in March, in the form of Lucky Human Illusion and Sauce. Both EPs have a slightly distinctive sound, although they aren’t too different, which is probably a good thing! Full streams of both records can also be found at the end of this review.
By Jane Howkins
Let’s start with Lucky Human Illusion, which contains a total of six songs. It starts off with Baby, You Don’t Know, which has an undeniable classic rock sound, mixed in with a bit of modern rock and indie. It’s really anthemic at times – particularly as the vocals belt out the lyrics on the chorus. The guitar riffs sound awesome too, mixing well with the rest of the music.
Possibly, Maybe is a little different, featuring some robotic spoken vocals at the start, as a bluesy guitar lick appears. It’s much slower than the previous tune, allowing you to really feel the emotion in the vocals. However, it still rocks despite the pacing, making for a fantastic all rounder of a tune.
Lying to Myself on a Monday is another slower song, although the chorus speeds things up a bit, as the drums increase the beat. The little breakdowns on the chorus add a really nice quality to this tune, allowing the vocals to truly shine through on the catchy chorus.
Coaster Shrapnel introduces an acoustic guitar into the mix, working wonderfully with the violin melody that can be heard in the background. It starts off sounding like a ballad, before the rest of the instrumentation kicks in, featuring some really interesting guitarwork on the verses.
The interestingly titled The Cashier Thinks “Oh No, Not Today” is perhaps my favourite track on this EP, as the opening riff is undeniably catchy. It’s a real testament to The Flashpot Moments’ songwriting skills, as they’ve managed to create something beautiful that still rocks out here – you need to take a listen to this if it’s the only song you check out from this EP!
The final song on Lucky Human Illusion is Code – UK Mix, bringing the EP back in full circle to the heavier anthemic rock vibes found on Baby, You Don’t Know. The entire track is fantastic, but that chorus is particularly epic, making you want to belt the lyrics out straight away.
Sauce is slightly heavier than Lucky Human Illusion. It opens with another killer track called One Too Many Great Ideas, containing a fantastic slew of guitar riffs that keep the tension constantly high. The verse riffs chug along in a lovely way, moving into a more palm-muted style as the chorus descends. The main riff will get stuck inside your head instantly!
Pile On is one of the heaviest songs that The Flashpot Moments have made, having quite a fast tempo. The beat aligns the track well with the punk genre, marking a key difference from the previous EP. However, this makes it sound really infectious – the chorus is also very anthemic, having a wonderful singalong quality.
Young Sends Me Tunes starts with a huge drum beat, before the guitar chords and vocals arrive. It definitely has more of a metal vibe than some of the other songs, containing some absolutely killer riffs. There are some acoustic guitars hidden within the mix though, making for a nice overall texture.
(Not Quite So) Messy is one of my favourite songs on Sauce, as it’s really catchy. The backing vocals are used perfectly in the background, shouting away against the more melodic lead vocals. The breakdowns allow the bass to shine through alongside the vocals, showing just how strong the rhythm section is.
The final track on this EP is Code – the original version of the song. It’s quite similar to the version found on Lucky Human Illusion, but it’s got more of a classic rock and roll quality, aligning it well with the rest of the songs on Sauce.
The Flashpot Moments have managed a great feat with the simultaneous release of their two EPS, Lucky Human Illusion and Sauce. They’re both fantastic records, however Lucky Human Illusion is probably more preferable if you like your rock on the softer end of the scale, as Sauce is a bit heavier overall.
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